From a Full House to a Royal Flush: Your Complete Guide to Decoding the Different Poker Hands

Think you know everything about poker? Think again! The ranking of hands is much more subtle than it seems. Discover all the secrets of this legendary game with our complete guide on our blog.

From a simple three of a kind to a royal flush, Belgium's No. 1 online casino, Casino King, reveals all the winning combinations to help you become the king of poker tables in Belgium.

The Ranking of Poker Hands

The ranking of poker hands is a fundamental aspect of this strategic game. Most of the time, the hierarchy is clear: the strongest hands win. To fully understand the nuances of poker, mastering the possible combinations is essential.

Let’s break down the different poker hands together, so you can make the best decisions when facing the dealer and your opponents.

Royal Flush

A Royal Flush is composed of five consecutive cards: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten, all of the same suit. It is considered the strongest hand in poker. This rarely achieved hand guarantees victory against any other hand.

Straight Flush

A Straight Flush is a combination of five consecutive cards of the same suit. It is considered the second-best hand in poker, and can only be beaten by a Royal Flush or, in very rare cases, by a higher-ranking Straight Flush.

Four of a Kind

Four of a Kind, commonly known as "quads," is a poker hand where four cards have the same rank. While it's a powerful hand, it is beaten by a royal flush and a straight flush. If two players have a Four of a Kind, the one with the higher-ranking cards wins.

Full House

A Full House is a poker hand consisting of three of a kind and a pair. This hand is highly sought after as it offers a good chance of winning the pot.

To determine the winner between two Full Houses, the three of a kind are compared first. If those are equal, the pairs are compared. A Full House is a strong hand, but it is weaker than a Four of a Kind, a straight flush, or a royal flush.

Flush

A Flush, also known as "color," is a hand consisting of five cards of the same suit (spades, hearts, diamonds, or clubs), but they are not necessarily in consecutive order.
For example, a 10, 8, 5, 3, and 2 of hearts form a Flush. While it's a relatively strong hand, it is beaten by a straight flush, Four of a Kind, and a Full House.

Straight

A Straight is a poker hand made up of five consecutive cards of different suits. For example, an Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10. A Straight is a solid hand but is beaten by a straight flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, and Three of a Kind.

Three of a Kind

Three of a Kind is a hand consisting of three cards of the same rank. For example, three Kings, three Sevens, etc. It's a stronger hand than a pair, two pairs, or a high card.

Two Pairs

Two Pairs is a hand with two different pairs of cards. For example, two Aces and two Kings. It's better than a single pair but weaker than Three of a Kind.

One Pair

A pair is the basic combination in poker. It consists of two cards of the same rank. To compare two pairs, you simply look at the value of the pairs. The higher pair wins.

High Card

Having a high card is like drawing the lowest number in the lottery. It's the weakest hand in poker.

Play Online Poker at Casino King

You now have all the tools to dominate the poker table. Put your knowledge to the test on Casino King, where you can play your favorite online poker games anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Here are a few poker game titles to practice the poker hand combinations you’ve just learned:

✅ Caribbean Poker

✅ Joker Poker

✅ Caribbean Stud Poker

✅ Triple Edge Poker